Key TakeawaysThe FDA approved Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, a new medication to assist in weight management for adults with obesity.Zepbound uses the same active ingredient, tirzepatide, as the type 2 diabetes medication Mounjaro.Zepbound is a potent new addition to a growing class of obesity medications, which have become popular for helping patients control their blood sugar and treat obesity.

Key Takeaways

The FDA approved Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, a new medication to assist in weight management for adults with obesity.Zepbound uses the same active ingredient, tirzepatide, as the type 2 diabetes medication Mounjaro.Zepbound is a potent new addition to a growing class of obesity medications, which have become popular for helping patients control their blood sugar and treat obesity.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on WednesdayapprovedEli Lilly’s tirzepatide for treating obesity.

Tirzepatide, which is already marketed asMounjarofor treating type 2 diabetes, will be sold under the brand name Zepbound for weight management.

Based on Lilly’s clinical trial results, Zepbound is the most effective weight management medication on the market. The approval of Zepbound could improve access for patients who have struggled to get a hold of obesity medications amid drug shortages.

“It adds another option to our toolbox for treatment of patients with obesity. This means we can better tailor treatment for the patient with the goal of maximizing benefits and minimizing potential for side effects,”Jamy Ard, MD, president-elect of The Obesity Society, told Verywell via an email.

“It signals that there is going to be continued development in the space of obesity treatment, which means more therapeutic options in the future,” Ard said.

Mounjaro Generic May Soon Join Wegovy as a Weight Loss-Approved Drug

How Does Zepbound Work?

Zepbound is indicated for adults who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater, or those with a BMI of 27 who also have a weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure or heart disease. It’s an injection medicine that is self-administered under the skin once weekly.

Zepbound contains tirzepatide, which stimulates two hormone receptors: glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP).

Like semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy that targets GLP-1 receptors, tirzepatide can slow down digestion and help people feel fuller for longer. Tirzepatide also targets GIP receptors, which can help boost metabolism and lead to better weight and blood sugar management than GLP-1 agonists alone.

How Does Wegovy (Semaglutide) Work?

In Lilly’s clinical trials, adults without diabetes who received the highest approved dosage of Zepbound lost 18% of their body weight on average compared to those who received a placebo. People with type 2 diabetes saw a 12% body weight reduction at the same dosage.

One in three study participants taking the highest dose of Zepbound lost more than 58 pounds, or about 25% of their body weight. That’s compared to about 1.5% of patients on placebo who lost the same amount.

Losing 5% to 10% of body weight is associated with improvements in heart health, sleep apnea, and liver disease.In Lilly’s trials, 85% of participants lost at least 5% of their body weight at the lowest dose.

For people with obesity, drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy can be effective when lifestyle modifications alone fail to help them lose weight.

Lilly’s Most Potent Weight Loss Drug Yet Could Help Manage Fatty Liver Disease, Too

What Are the Side Effects of Zepbound?

As with the other GLP-1-based drugs, Zepbound may come with gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, and indigestion. In some studies, patients experienced vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea when their dosage amount increased, but those effects subsided over time.

According to the FDA, the drug can cause thyroid C-cell tumors in rats, though it’s not clear if it causes such tumors in humans.

How Much Will Zepbound Cost?

Lilly said the list price will be $1,060, about 20% lower than the list price for competitor Wegovy. The actual price for most patients may be lower after insurance coverage and discounts are factored in.

Since the debut of GLP-1-based drugs, however, insurers have beenreluctant to cover the costof medications for obesity—a condition that some 70% of Americans live with.

“Unfortunately, I’m less optimistic about any significant movement on insurance coverage with this approval,” Ard said. “The only way I see that happening is if there is better pricing for these meds.”

Ways to Save on Mounjaro and Ozempic

The FDA said people who take Zepbound should also focus on a healthy lifestyle, such as eating a balanced, reduced-calorie diet and getting adequate exercise.

“These medications make the work of losing weight much easier, but the patient has to ensure that the quality of weight loss is ideal,” Ard said. “This means there is still a need to consume a high-quality dietary intake and maintain or initiate a physical activity plan.”

It’s also important to keep in mind that Zepbound is a long-term treatment, he added.

“Obesity is not cured with these medications—it is simply controlled,” Ard said. “Stopping treatment increases the chances that weight will increase to some higher level. That’s just the biology of how this works.”

What Happens When You Stop Taking Ozempic?

What This Means For YouWeight management can be complex. Talk with a trusted health provider to learn more about whether GLP-1-based medications are right for you, and how to manage the side effects and potential risks. TheObesity Action Coalition offers a listof physicians, psychologists, and other health providers who are well-versed in obesity medicine.

What This Means For You

Weight management can be complex. Talk with a trusted health provider to learn more about whether GLP-1-based medications are right for you, and how to manage the side effects and potential risks. TheObesity Action Coalition offers a listof physicians, psychologists, and other health providers who are well-versed in obesity medicine.

2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, et al.Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity.N Engl J Med. 2022;387(3):205-216. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2206038Ryan DH, Yockey SR.Weight loss and improvement in comorbidity: differences at 5%, 10%, 15%, and over.Curr Obes Rep. 2017;6(2):187-194. doi:10.1007/s13679-017-0262-y

2 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, et al.Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity.N Engl J Med. 2022;387(3):205-216. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2206038Ryan DH, Yockey SR.Weight loss and improvement in comorbidity: differences at 5%, 10%, 15%, and over.Curr Obes Rep. 2017;6(2):187-194. doi:10.1007/s13679-017-0262-y

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, et al.Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity.N Engl J Med. 2022;387(3):205-216. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2206038Ryan DH, Yockey SR.Weight loss and improvement in comorbidity: differences at 5%, 10%, 15%, and over.Curr Obes Rep. 2017;6(2):187-194. doi:10.1007/s13679-017-0262-y

Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, et al.Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity.N Engl J Med. 2022;387(3):205-216. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2206038

Ryan DH, Yockey SR.Weight loss and improvement in comorbidity: differences at 5%, 10%, 15%, and over.Curr Obes Rep. 2017;6(2):187-194. doi:10.1007/s13679-017-0262-y

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